ANTICANCER AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF ETHANOL EXTRACT OF INDIGOFERA CORDIFOLIA ROTH. ON EHRLICH ASCITES CARCINOMA TUMOUR BEARING MICE
Indigofera cordifolia Roth. belongs to Fabaceae, is an Indian medicinal plant. It has been used in traditional medicine to treat various disorders including cancer. Objective of the present work is to evaluate the anticancer and antioxidant potential of ethanol extract of I. cordifolia (EIC) against EAC tumour bearing mice. Antitumour activity was assessed by monitoring the mean survival time, percentage increase in life span, effect on hematological parameters, antioxidant enzyme levels, lipid peroxidation and solid tumour volume. 5 -fluorouracil (5-FU, 20 mg/kg/i.p) was used as a standard. EIC at the dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg, significantly increase the mean survival time, exerted a protective effect on the hemopoietic system, prevented lipid peroxidation and restored the antioxidant enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione -s-transferase in the liver of tumour control animals. It also significantly reduces the solid tumour volume. The results obtained strongly support that EIC shows potent anticancer activity against EAC cells. The extract also prevents lipid peroxidation and increase the antioxidant enzymes level in tumour bearing animals which might be due to the presence of a variety of phytochemicals in EIC. The present study supports the ethnomedical use of Indigofera cordifolia.